any band should be able to prove their worth live

At Metal On Loud Magazine we always try to find a good balance between established talent and the lesser known, but still great bands out there. BattleX might not be as established as many of the great names in this issue, but they recently delivered a new album that's really worth a listen. I had the chance to talk to Jaka, the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the band, to get to know a bit more about them.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! Can you introduce your band to our readers? Who are you and what do you play?

No problem, anytime! We’re a four-piece from Maribor, Slovenia. I’m Jaka and I play rhythm guitar and sing lead vocals.

How would you describe your particular brand of metal?

I’d say it’s a mix of heavy and thrash metal with some modern elements to spice it up.

You released your debut album “Imminent Downfall” this year. What can you tell us about this record?

It’s five years of four guys discovering awesome music and making their own in the process. As far as musical tastes go, we’re a diverse bunch so we tried to find a common language that would resonate with all of us, and the result is this album. We had a lot of fun recording it; it was one of the best experiences in our lives.

You have been around since 2010, what took you so long to make an album?

We had some line-up issues in 2011 and 2012; I also started studying in another city, which complicated things a bit more. Most of the album was written in 2013 and early 2014, though some songs have riffs that are as old as 2007 and predate my (and Blaž’s) time in the band. Other songs were finished while recording.

I really enjoyed the feel-good vibe in your songs. Lines like “wanna kick your fucking ass” just bring a smile. How do you create your songs, are they created with a live mindset?

Thanks, we appreciate it! I guess you could say that, we mostly create songs with a “listening” mindset, as in “how would this go over with a first time listener”. We love to try out new songs live and the first, “internal/band only” demo is very often a live recording. Then we decide what stays and what goes, what is good and what has to be improved.

Who does most of your writing?

Filip and I, mostly. We usually come up with at least a few riffs that we envision being a verse/chorus combination and then work on that. Sometimes I bring an entire song or way more riffs than we need and we try and trim the fat to make a good song out of it.

Would you say you are more a live band or more a studio band?

I think we’re more of a live band right now, we love to play live and we want to do it as much as possible. I believe that any band should be able to prove their worth live, so we invest a lot into that.

What do your live shows look like, what do you offer your fans?

Energy, a lot of it! Metal is a music style bursting with passion and energy, and we try to squeeze out everything we’ve got while being as tight as possible and hope the audience will soak it up and feed it back. We all have fun playing live and I think it really shows, but I’ll let the folks attending our concerts be the judge of that.

Where do you find your inspiration, who are your musical heroes?

That’s constantly changing for me, so it’s hard to say. It might be Machine Head today and David Gilmour tomorrow. Right now I’ve been blasting a lot of Carcass and Death Angel (can’t wait for their new album!).

Will we be able to see you on tour soon, where can we see you live?

Yes, we’re have a show confirmed in the Czech Republic in mid-May with a few link-up gigs in the works, plus a few local shows lined up and some Slovenian festivals in late summer.

Do you have any last words for our readers?

Yes, support metal, support your favourite artists, big and small, keep it heavy!